Well I have been lucky to doge the sickness bullet but this one I am perplexed.

About 5 days ago it looked like my shinto got HITH which amazed me since he was single tank and I WC at least every 2 weeks so I started treating him and looked better then 2 days ago he started getting duck lips then he got this bulge on his head. He is in a Q 10g with heat, salt and metro now, have to dive all over looking for it. Is he doomed? Can I do anything? Should I put him down so he wont suffer? Should I lance the puss pocket?

I feel bad because I have been putting lots of work into my TK and didn't play with him like I use to and I caught my son antagonizing him so I think this is stress. Potty words.

this one is a crasy disease bro one of my old school golden base FF died from it and i saves a couple more though.

I would cut a small opening in the puss pocket, and place the fish in A 5 gallon bucket with metro at a high dosage so that you can do a metro and salt bath. You need to sqeeze out the puss into another small bucket or sink/drain, so as not to contaminate the bath. Once you squeezed the puss out place him in the bath while constantly watching him to see that he doesn't O.D and poison himself. Make sure the tank has super clean water. I think you need to do this a couple times a day and make sure to have plenty of salt, heat, and clean water!

You need to make it up to him for the neglect. Cure him!!

the bump looks similar to when my big JK got sick Dan. Metro did the trick, but it took a longgg time. Hope he pulls though

He was such a good looking flowerhorn damn I hop he gets better.that is the problem with this hoby people get a flowerhorn they luv then c a new one buy it and neglect the original one.I realy liked that shinto.

what Will said is the right thing to do.
You will need to cut a small opening to squeeze the puss out.
If you dont, the puss will build up more and more causing the face to swell up till it dies.
The main thing to do is to remove as much puss as possible and at the same time treating
him with the right meds and clean water. It will take a long time to cure this type of disease.

Thanks for everybody's input.

I was able to get out a TON of puss, there looked to be come black stuff in there as well so I assume it was clotted blood. Any idea on what causes this? There was some residual puss coming out so I will watch it and once its done I will dump the bucket and make a new bath with metro. I cant believe how fast this worked and how hard it was to find metro!

Well it aint over, the puss will continue to build up and you need to do it a couple of times a day, so that means Wc for the tank maybe every other day, best thing to do for that is dont keep your water level all the way up, so all you need to do is change less water. But, continue high salt and heat!

if you ever need metro let me know, I get the 500mg pills for very very cheap. Matter fact i have about 30 500mg pills right now, if you need more or anyone else let me know

Wow Dan, that is some serious shit!!!
Ducklip is a very strange disease and I found that metro is the best remedy.
I've treated ducklips several times and never had to apply any surgery. I'm not saying surgery does not help but I feel that it adds a ton of stress to the fish when handling him, cutting him, and fondling him.
This is how I do it.
1. Only fill the 10gal half way so that you can cut down half the cost of metro.
2. Use 1/4 teaspoon of metro for each water change. This is double dosage. If you have acetone, use a little bit with the metro and make a slurry. Acetone dissolves metro into it's useful form. It is more affective than just add metro directly into the tank.
3. You can use a small sponge filter or just an air stone becaues you will be doing daily water changes any how.
4. Crank up the heat to 90F.
5. With 5gal of water, use 2 table spoons of rock salt. Dump 2 table spoons of rock salt to start with and replace 2 table spoon on every water change. Salt helps build up slime and it also increases the osmotic pressure in the tank which will make the medication absorb through the fish's gills better.
6. Change 50% water daily
7. Make sure your water reservoir is also 90F.
8. Treatment is for 10 days.
9. On the 11th day, do your last water change at 90F, fill the 10gal tank to the rim, and adjust the heater down to 84-86F.
10. Then feed him a couple of pellets. By this time (if he's still alive) he should be totally cured and hungry.
11. You still need to do lots of water changes because now your hospital tank's filtration is not efficient for the bioload. Let him recoop a couple days and put him back into his permanent home.

If you need more metro, let me know I'll send you some.
Good luck.

I need them Don!!

Great post lane!!

Thanks everybody again, I know I can count on my bros.

I just took out some more puss and I dont know if this is helpful or not but a lot of puss is coming out of this right nostril but I know I am in this for the long haul. This guys is a fighter and I know he will pull though for me. I have the 10g 1/2 way full and the heater cranked on him with some water softner salt in there and a high dose of metro. The only metro I could find was this tiny ass vile of 5g (http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Metronidazole.html) for $9 and will get another 1 or 2 this week. I am very concerned though because next Thursday I will be out of town for a couple of days and thats mid treatment. My wife wont mess with the fish unless it does, any recommendations?

Well fuck.

I just put him down a couple of min ago. He started getting those black blotchs all over and just kept an eye on him and he went from swimming around to laying on his side and not moving. I am still amazed at the progression of this disease what ever it was normal to dead in a week as well know how he got it. I guess if you don't have metro on hand time to buy it just in case or you will be sorry. I just pounded a couple of beers and heading to bed.

Sucks man i know how you feel!

That's terrible. I'll give you my shinto if any consolation.

That sucks Dan.
But you got that right about metro. I always have metro.

Dam Dan, that really sux man.

sorry to hear you lost him, dan...